I started reading Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer, already I am convicted and encouraged by the book.  It's been a while since I've picked up a theology book.  After I looked to see how many pages were in the book, I read the preface where he states that he wrote a short theology book because modern day Christians don't take time to read the classics.  As a mother, this book has been incredibly encouraging to me.  I often find myself at a loss for words for describing God to my children.  Tozer states that is because we can not describe Him in human terms.  We do our best, but basically God is beyond complete description.  In particular, the trinity is a difficult concept to describe.  I love Tozer's prayer, "When we consider the fearful mystery of Thy Triune Godhead we lay our hand upon our mouth.  Before that burning bush we ask not to understand, but only that we may fitly adore Thee, One God in Persons Three. Amen."  Worship, not complete understanding is our calling.  Our attempt to fully explain God stems from our low view of Him.  "The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us...The heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him...We do the greatest service to the next generation of Christians by passing on to them undimmed and undiminished that noble concept of God which we received from our Hebrew and Christian fathers of generations past.  This will prove of greatest value to them than anything that art or science can devise."  This is my challenge as a mother, to prayerfully provide my kids with a high and exalted view of God.

She looks very healthy! I feel so blessed!

My son has been begging to start soccer again.  We just signed him up.  He was so excited to get a soccer uniform!  His cousin also loves her class too!

We also got a new vehicle (to complete the stereotype).  Here is a photo of my kids dancing in the minivan.  They love riding in the back together!  Their tongues are even dancing!  I have to say that this van has already been a huge blessing!  My last car was small and not reliable.  Now I don't have to worry about the car (free road side assistance) or fitting all three kids! 

This week my baby is as big as an heirloom tomato!  We have an ultrasound on Thursday.  I am hoping to find out the gender!!!

I bought an avocado for my kids.  My son keeps showing it to everyone.  He loves telling people how big the baby is getting.  It's so fun to feel little flutters too!  I am so excited for the kids to feel the baby kick!

My kids ran outside when they saw a light dusting of snow!  I reminded them that they need to ask me before leaving the house.

We are very blessed to have a large extended family. Here are a few photos of our Easter party.   In this first photo, the kids are getting ready for an egg hunt!

Her new bunny basket

His favorite part of Easter: the transformer dinosaur egg!

Sweet cousins

Our family photo (so hard to get two young children to look at the camera)

My snuggle bunny

No longer a peanut... my baby is as big as an apple!

My son is now reading to me in the car!  He loves the early reader books that we checked out from the library.  It's so great to have him motivated to read without my help.  Sometimes he does need help with a specific word.  He'll spell it to me and we'll sound it out together.  Often, it is a new sight word to learn. 

  I'm finally in my second trimester!  The nausea is gone and I'm hoping that my energy will be back to normal soon!  My baby is also growing... we're up to a lemon!

My daughter also had another MRI.  This one showed no changes in the blood flow through her brain.  Therefore, we are going to wait 6 months until the next visit.  The doctors basically had no new information.  They just urged us to be very cautious with her (no more jungle gyms).  Please continue to pray for her safety!  They also explained that with today's technology any type of surgery would be very risky.  However, in a year or more there may be new options.  For now, I am thankful for how amazing she is doing.  God has blessed us with two awesome children.  I can not wait to meet the third.  

Tomorrow I will be 12 weeks pregnant!    My baby is now the size of a lime.  Today, I picked one up at the grocery store for my kids.  My son loves talking about the baby.  He gave me a banana yesterday to eat.  I said, "no thanks, I'm not hungry."  He said, "it's not for you - it's for the baby!"  I thanked him and ate my banana. 

My son wrote me a story!  I was so impressed and excited that he would want to write on his own!  We've been practicing handwriting lately.  Now he appears to be much more comfortable after some practice.  My husband asked my son how he knew to spell fire.  He said he just sounded it out.  He's also more comfortable with reading as well.  Today he read another wonder book called, "Fun."  It's so encouraging to see progress and to watch him enjoy learning at home!

My kids love this group!  Tonight, they prayed for all of their friends by name.  It was very sweet!  I am so thankful for these wonderful families!

Great workbooks (Kumon series).  I bought them at Barnes and Noble.

My son loves this book!  He always enjoys "cutting projects."  I love that he's working on his fine motor skills!

Handwriting has been a difficult subject, so I thought I'd try the uppercase handwriting book.  I love the progression through out the book.  It is very helpful for my son! 

 We checked out some early readers from the library as well.  It's so exciting to watch him learn how to read!  He actually brought me a book and wanted to read it to me!  His confidence is growing, which is very encouraging!  He read two of the "Wonder Books" phonic series.  I ordered more from the library.  So far he's read "Hot Pot" and "Quack."  My husband was also really excited and impressed by his progress.

I've been a little tiered and queasy lately, but for a good reason!  I'll be 10 weeks tomorrow!

Spoon phones

Happy Birthday Grandma B

Snow Angels:

Thank you all for praying for my daughter!  We were able to talk to a different neurosurgeon, who was better able to explain why surgery is not a good option for my daughter.  My husband and I both felt much better about monitoring her condition rather than treating it.  The surgery would be far too risky due to the anatomy.  The MRI showed that despite the difference in the outside of the skull, internally, the blood flow looks either the same or even a little better.  Please continue to pray for her safety.  Since she does have a hole in her skull, a head injury would be very very dangerous.  They would like to find a noninvasive method to try and protect the hole in her skull.  They said that a helmet wouldn't help her.  So, please pray for wisdom for my husband and I as we try and keep her safe.  Also, please pray for angles to protect her little head   I wish I could better explain the situation.  The last meeting, the doctor went into a lot of detail about the anatomy in her brain.  All I know is that the clot is caused by her anatomy, not a blood clotting disorder.  We are also praying that the Lord would heal her vein that is clotted the same way he allowed the blood to flow through this other vein.  Our God is the great healer.  He has already done an amazing miracle in my daughter.  It is very humbling to watch her talk and run around the house.  I am so thankful that God has made my baby girl into such a beautiful person.  Thank you for your continued prayers.  This condition is much more rare than the doctors originally thought.  However, she is also doing better than they can medically explain!  Praise God!  It is very humbling to have the Lord intervene in our lives in such a personal way!  Whenever I think about the situation, the Lord always reminds me of the blind man.  "As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life..."John 9:1-3  I know that God is glorified through my daughter's life!